Sunday, October 28, 2012

The title sounds self-evident. The bigger concern is that
scientists learned we are passing the GMO alterations on to our children while
they are in utero. We are, essentially, genetically modified humans now.

" I know that many people are having questions recently
about GMO seeds, especially with the California issue on the ballot in
November. My newest webisode is "Get to Know" GMO. A simple
explanation of what they are and how they affect your health #Yeson37" Dr.
Bob:

I like this article b/c it mentions the source...machinery
used to process HFCS. As the material is pushed through, it becomes
contaminated with mercury. This is true for all foods in all
factories...anything on the machines (such as cleaning solution or oil) will
end up in the food:

Parents: STOP right now! Make a commitment to treat ALL
children with kindness, patience and understanding this Halloween. Children
with sensory disorders, allergies, autism and more are trying their best to
participate in what should be a fun holiday for all kids:

Most articles and headlines were either rude or
discouraging. This seemed the most concise, helpful link. Obesity doesn't mean
you should be treated poorly, nor does it mean you should be banned from
evidence-based options in birth. But it does seem to present additional
concerns that need to be talked about:

This article discusses a cascade caused by racial
discrimination, but the idea holds true for all of us. Being disrespected,
restricted or even harassed about our bodies does not provide a safe, peaceful
pregnancy/birth experience:

"Babies are born with their own resuscitation equipment.
The placenta not only helps the baby to transition, but assists with
resuscitation if needed. There is no reason to clamp and cut the cord of a baby
who needs help. Doing so will create more problems for the baby and mother.
Anything that needs to be done can be done with back-up from the placenta, and
the involvement of the mother."

"Newborns cope well with hypoxia but struggle with
hypovolemia. At the moment of birth, 30 to 50% of the baby’s blood volume is in
the placenta, and immediate clamping deprives the baby of that blood. Adults
are in perilous danger of hypovolemic shock and receive blood transfusions at
15 to 30% blood loss."

"Is autism caused by the sudden deprivation of blood,
oxygen, and iron that happens when the umbilical cord is clamped before the
placenta has finished its job?

Did I stand there and watch my son get autism? Did the
doctor—and me, since I cut his cord—give him autism right there in the room? Is
that why he looked fine at delivery and then suddenly got blue? Did we give him
brain damage?"

”Without the burst of blood from the placenta, the infant
suffers a drop in blood pressure as its lungs fail to open as they should,
creating a chain reaction of effects that can include brain damage and lung damage
“

“The doctor who used to work at Memorial Hospital in
Darlington, said if the need for early cord clamping was removed from NICE's
guideline, 'there could be an overnight change in practice.' He concluded:
'Clamping the functioning umbilical cord at birth is an unproven intervention.
'Lack of awareness of current evidence, pragmatism, and conflicting guidelines
are all preventing change. To prevent further injury to babies we would be
better to rush to change.' “

When you sign papers allowing the hospital to
"dispose" of the placenta and other remnants of birthing, when you
think they are being burned or safely disposed, they're actually selling them
to medical research for as much as $30,000 each! This figure was reported by
the Children's Hospital in Randwick, Australia. This was confirmed in the 10th
edition of the Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, 2003 page 1076. They're
placing the baby at risk of these restricted umbilical cord problems to make
money.”

It's important to realize that although the issue of nuchal cords might be
surrounded by myths and unwarranted interventions, the presence of a nuchal
cord can indicate an issue, and babies can be injured. Discussing the myths and
misunderstandings on this topic is not about dismissing those who have
experienced injury or loss.

IBAC (Induced Birth After C-section) is a tricky situation
to navigate. It involves taking into consideration the risks of a previous
c-section, the current risks justifying an induction and the risks of
induction. But there might be some cases where it is an option as opposed to
going straight to a c-section:

Here is an article I wish EVERY parent would read, whether
you are preparing for a homebirth, VBAC or c-section. What if your doctor is
selling you a scare tactic so common, a woman 3 years ago was able to write
about it?

Sunday, October 21, 2012

What are my staples for a peaceful, gentle experience at church? How do I meet the needs of my children and make the experience positive for them?

The Essentials:

1) A comfy nursing top or layered shirts for quick nursing without a cover2) A long, loose skirt that covers unshaved legs and is great in the cold or heat3) My every day pair of worn out birks. (Seriously....Christmas gift hint lol).4) At least one ergo5) At least one baby

Wearing babies at church is a great way to spend time connecting with them. And if they fall asleep in the carrier, it's a great way to keep them asleep! You might even get to hear the readings. :-p

I see this issue pop up here and there, and every time I do, I notice some disturbing trends. First, whenever a parent shares that she is upset, confused, angry, sad or even regretful about something related to parenting, I notice an immediate hammer of bashing drops. The message is clear: don't complain or you will be attacked and then ostracized.

Next thing I notice is that those who do not outright attack, start with the more passive routes behind a helpful persona. "Perhaps you need to research mental illness." "Have you talked to your doctor about prescription medication to take care of that?" "Honey, sometimes undiagnosed conditions come out after you become a mother. Go to a doctor."

Even worse, I find people like to add God into the equation. "Complaining is sinful." "Those feelings are just the devil trying to get you to be a bad mother." "You are being selfish and don't have the spirit inside you." Ever heard of JOY? It stands for: Jesus, Others, (then, far distant) You. Sounds great on the surface. Except when you're a hurting, exhausted, lonely, run down person who needs help, love, support and encouragement. (A brief thought provoker on JOY here: http://www.altaredview.com/2009/05/joy-jesus-then-others-then-yourself.html).

Hey Christians, remember this? Jesus prayed to "take this cup from me."He wanted to avoid the BIG responsibility and duty in His life. He wanted to avoid suffering.Maybe instead of bashing Christian mothers, you can remind them that Christ has been thereand understands their hardships.

Although I also encourage parents to take symptoms seriously and to rule out any conditions or illness, the comments are rather clear...if you are unhappy, clearly you're sick in the mind. Or an evil person.

Some people asked for ideas about what to say that's supportive in this case. Here are some ideas:

Very familiar with the person: "Hey, it's normal. Try to make it through the day/week/month. Treat yourself. Get some extra sleep. Let me know when I can come over to do the dishes or watch the kids."

Friends: "Let me buy you a coffee and you can let it all out." "Let's have a playdate at the local hamster tube place and just veg out." "Hey I saw a funny movie. Rent it and watch it tonight after the kids fall asleep.Give yourself some time to laugh and relax."

Everyone: "I've felt that way, too." "I've been there, too." "This is normal." "You're going to make it through this." "It really does get better." "If you need anything, let me know."

The other day, I received a vulnerable private message. The mama shared a lot of negative emotions she was feeling. The raw hurt coming through made me want to directly address this issue:

It's okay to say you don't like mothering.
It's okay to say you feel discouraged.
It's okay to say you're not having a good time.
It's okay to say you're unhappy.

These feelings do not define you. They do not show your true character, nor do they bind you to any one choice when resolving or improving the situation.

In case you think you're the only one, you're not. Every parent at some point has felt this way, whether fleeting in the middle of the night, or longer term with a difficult phase. And if they haven't, well, they will.

Parenting is a catalyst. It's the point where our identities, goals, fears and dreams collide with another person and then expand or contract with that person's best interests as the top priority. Parenting is hard, sweaty, sometimes (ha often times) unpleasant work.

Let it be clear that on this page/blog, we do understanding. We do supporting. We do encouraging. We do affirming. We laugh at silly jokes. We stay up too late. We get to the nitty gritty on hard topics. We listen without requiring addendums. In this place, we accept ourselves right where we are at the moment and we look forward to great things in our lives.

Go ahead. Acknowledge those emotions. A numb person can't feel the deepest aspects of human experience. That means taking the negative with the positive. Acknowledge your hurts, your hardships, your frustrations, your tragedies and everything else that comes with opening your heart, body and life to another person for the rest of your life. It's okay to feel human.

Amanda Bannon shares a photo of her son, Connor. He was upsetbecause some chickens wouldn't let him pet them. As unconditional/attached parents,we strive to acknowledge the full spectrum of human experiences for our children.What about us?

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Sleeping is a hot topic when it comes to babies. How, when, where...it's safe to say American parents are obsessed with the sleeping habits of their babies. For many parents, sleep patterns are not accepted, but rather carefully planned out with intense training, including regimens that begin sometimes as early as 6-8 weeks of age.

Jen's baby catches some Zzzz with Daddy.

As the parenting wars wage on about the practice of CIO (cry it out), I read an article in the November issue of Parenting. It touched on an aspect not mentioned about night time parenting: the moments we have with our children, where we grow and learn to love in new ways. What are we missing as parents when we turn out the lights and take a break from parenting as the sun goes down?

The author, Ross McCammon, reports that when he started to wake up before his baby was screaming, he learned something new:

It seems like hearing the early part [before crying] is the way parenting should work- no matter how old a kid is. The early part involves being curious about their lives, being involved, anticipating a problem. The early part is an opportunity, a preemptive strike. It's you requesting their time, instead of them demanding your care. Sure I'd rather be sleeping at 4:30 in the morning, but if my son wants to hang out for a few minutes before getting down to the business of babyhood then I'll make the best of it. I look forward to it. 4:30 is a gift- one I didn't know I wanted, but I'll take it. (Parenting, issue 269)

I gave birth on Saturday to my fourth baby. A boy. He is beautiful and healthy. It was an intended homebirth. I had seen a well respected midwife beginning at 8 weeks into the pregnancy. I got to 41 weeks 3 days when she wanted me to have a biophysical profile done.

Well, my baby failed the test. They gave me a 2 for fluid levels and said my placenta was a grade 3.
She came to my home to tell me we needed to induce. I told her I wanted another opinion so we went late that night to her OB friend and he saw movement but said the placenta looked ready.

She, her student, and my husband pushed for induction. They said baby only had a 25% survival rate and I should just be having a csection anyways. I was made to feel selfish, and that I would be saved by this almighty induction.

Now, I am grieving. I will never have my peaceful home birth. I will never be without the trauma of 36 hours of labor. I will never get back the lost moment, when I wasn't able to celebrate my daughter's second birthday because I was strapped down in the hospital.

I feel as if I cannot forgive them and I am struggling so badly with this.
I am of course very thankful for my boy. He's perfect. And I thank God he IS okay. But that doesn't take away the hurt. I will always feel robbed. I know he would've been okay and that I should've walked out of that hospital.

I know that I would still be holding a healthy baby boy.
Where do I go from here? I'm left with the financial burdens of unintended hospital birth, a midwife who seems to think I got lucky thanks to her, and a husband who is oblivious to the damage. Where do I go? What do I do? Who do I decide to believe?"

Another mama, Krystal, shares a photo of her third c-section
after preparing for a VBAC.

An end to the agony

It is an amputation of a healthy, sensitive body part that is performed without specific medical need, and without the patient's consent.

Germany's parliament may soon approve a law to protect religious circumcision, this to counteract a Cologne court ruling last June that pronounced the practice unlawful.

This is wrong - the German government should rethink. I say this as a Jewish parent from a proud rabbinic lineage, with relatives killed in the Holocaust; I say this as the maker of "It's a Boy!" - the 1995 British TV documentary that first broke the taboo on showing the hidden toll of circumcision. It demonstrated how a rite ingrained in Jewish and Muslim culture, and said to be divinely commanded, regularly results in acute suffering, injuries, mutilation and deaths.

The film triggered a furor in Britain by chronicling the near-death of a baby circumcised by a mohel, and I hoped this would start a phasing-out of the custom. Instead, at pulpits across the U.K., rabbis denounced "that film made by a self-hating Jew," and urged parents to ignore it.

Change in the community could not come on the strength of information alone; I saw that government involvement would be needed. It was especially disappointing because my Jewishness prizes dissent and open debate.
Now my 12-year-old daughter is looking forward to her bat mitzvah, and she hears that Israel's Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger has declared circumcision is "the root of the Jewish soul." "An amputation done with no pain control?" she says. "Done outside of hospitals, by people who are not doctors? A religious ritual only for boys? How can this be the root of the Jewish soul in 2012?"

Sadly, I explain that there is enforced ignorance, as was the case when our family was pressured into having her older brother circumcised as an infant. Only after we witnessed his agony did we realize we'd been bullied into betraying our protective roles. I explain that injuries and near-deaths are hushed up, though each day hundreds of such incidents occur globally among those who practice the rite (as research by the British organization NORM-UK reveals ). I explain that fatalities are rarely spoken of, though each day brings three or four. And the lost children have sometimes been erased from Jewish family trees, as my film attests. That can be comprehended perhaps as a legacy of the Talmud, which instructs that a mother may cease offering babies for circumcision after three of her offspring have died from it.

I recall the TV documentary I made against corporal punishment of children, and how I applauded countries like Israel and Germany, which were among the first to outlaw such punishment. It appears to me wholly contradictory that those countries protect a tradition that routinely inflicts greater suffering and harm. And none should take a lead from America, where it's still legal for parents to hit children, where pediatricians profit from a sideline in circumcisions of boys of all backgrounds. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the profession's trade organization, has issued yet another equivocal statement recently, about a practice that is a money-spinner for some of its members.

The Cologne court was right to rule that circumcision is an assault on a child. It is an amputation of a healthy, sensitive body part that is performed without specific medical need, without the patient's consent. Elected leaders of conscience should not support a custom that so obviously infringes principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In Israel, some young adults now choose to be tattooed with the Auschwitz numbers of their forbears. A moving tribute. But if a religious leader decided it was God's commandment that babies be tattooed, we'd halt that everywhere. Religious Jews manage without animal sacrifices, without polygamy, without a range of practices that enlightened rabbis found reasons to dispense with over the centuries.

Given present knowledge of the pain and complications caused, an absolute ban is logical. But a sudden ban could drive circumcision underground. The law now should require that circumcision is only performed by doctors, in hospitals, using effective anesthesia, after both parents have been fully apprised of the risks. This will substantially reduce the prevalence of the custom, and will reduce the casualty rate and the suffering. With phased steps toward abolition, proponents of religious circumcision may put up less of a fight as the practice gradually falls out of favor.

Despite Wednesday's decision by the German cabinet to approve legislation that would protect circumcision, it's still not too late to reverse course. In a letter I've sent Chancellor Angela Merkel my message is simple: Please don't undo the opportunity for change created by your courageous Cologne judge. Jewish and Muslim children deserve protection from a hurtful, dangerous custom overdue for replacement. If it takes a court in 21st-century Germany to help us move beyond circumcision, I welcome that.

Filmmaker Victor Schonfeld's documentaries include "Loving Smacks," "Shattered Dreams: Picking Up the Pieces" and "The Animals Film." "It's a Boy!" is available from www.itsaboythefilm.com.

The singer says: "I co-wrote this song with Gordie
Sampson from the perspective of an unborn baby. A close friend and his wife had
a miscarriage, and I witnessed the pain they went through losing a baby. I
wanted to write a song to help people cope with that trauma and somehow bring a
positive light to the subject."

"Trying Again lessens the uncertainties about pregnancy
after miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss by providing the facts to help
you determine if you and your partner are emotionally ready for another
pregnancy. It also imparts essential advice about preparing and planning for another
baby when you decide the time is right."

"In spite of the fact that 1 in every 115 deliveries is
a stillborn baby, stillbirth continues to be a taboo subject. In Life Touches
Life, Lorraine Ash describes how she met that silence head-on. After a
trouble-free pregnancy, her baby was declared dead on what was to be her date
of birth. Following a C-section, Ash fought a fever that raged at 104 degrees
and almost succumbed to the silent B-strep infection that had killed her daughter.
Devastated by the experience, Ash sought solace and perspective in all the old
places and found little relief. In this moving account she discusses the inner
changes she faced after the stillbirth of her daughter, delves into spiritual
questions that shook her soul, and examines the connection between mother and
child that transcends separation and death."